1972 was an 'annus horribilis' for my family. It culminated one summer afternoon with a fire  upstairs in our  home  & a young daughter breaking her collar bone . Returning the following day from hospital  to review the damage I was greeted by a huge tin containing a freshly made fruit cake  & a pile of  little girls' pants on the front doorstep. Jill had heard that the childrens' underclothes had been destroyed  & this was her instant & practical   way of saying how  much she cared , so typical of her!